A Little Fall of Rain
by treesfullofstarlight
Summary: This is Eponine's story in the time that the book/musical skips, after the thenardiers lose their inn, but before Jean Valjean meets them again in Paris. loosely coincides with the book/musical, some things may change. Rated M for violence.
1. Chapter 1

Eponine made her way through the crowded streets of Paris, pick-pocketing what she could as she went. She was good at this, she was a small, slight creature and so she was able to slip through the crowded streets of Paris easily, taking what she could from unsuspecting passers by as she went by unnoticed. Never getting caught, as she was so fast and practiced at this, she had to be, if she didn't come back with what her father thought was a sufficient days haul there would be consequences and she had the bruises to prove it.

She rounded a corner and stepped into an empty alley walking swiftly to the end, looking over her shoulder as she went, checking she wasn't being followed by the police or worse any of her father's street gang the Patron-Minette. This was a notoriously feared street gang in Paris and to Eponine much more terrifying than the police and her father was one of them.

She decided that she was safe for now and crouched in the corner of the alley with her back to the entrance, concealing herself from any prying eyes. She emptied her takings from her skirts and took an inventory; a couple of wallets, a few broaches and a silver hairpin, her father would be pleased with the hairpin. She looked inside each wallet to see what they contained, there was money in all of them which was good luck since the people of Paris did not always have money in their pockets unless they were the well to do. This is from whom Eponine would find the best takings, people who had money, nice things, clothes and food to spare. Unlike her family her father, mother, sister and her all living in a small space in the apartment building Gorbeau house, conning and stealing for a living.

It had not always been like this, they had owned an inn and Eponine and her sister Azelma had, had nice clothes and dolls, but they had lost the inn and had to sell all of their fine things, which is how they ended up in Paris 1 year ago her father forcing Eponine and Azelma into a life of crime in order to stay alive. Their younger brother Gavroche had run away shortly after they had arrived in Paris, their parents not caring as long as they had her and Azelma to go out and work. Eponine was glad Gavroche had gotten away from their parents, she saw him from time to time helping him by giving him bits of food or money when she could. He was a street urchin living on the streets, stealing to survive but it was a better life than he would have with their parents and that was as good as it was going to get.

Eponine only wished that Azelma could get away too, she knew that she would never be able to get away herself, she was too useful to her father and his gang. But Azelma was becoming increasingly useful and her father was taking her out on more jobs with his gang, this was worrying to Eponine as she didn't want her father to need Azelma, she wanted there to be a chance that she could get away from all of this. She tried to protect her younger sister as much as she could, especially from the members of her father's gang who used Eponine as an all you can eat buffet, and as long as she was there to keep them occupied she hoped that they would never need to use Azelma in the way they used her.

Eponine gathered her takings together and set off to find Azelma who was also out doing her rounds, taking what she could. Her haul should do for today, besides it was starting to get dark and she didn't want to get home to late, if her father didn't need her for any jobs tonight, she might just be able to sneak away and go the café to see Marius. Just being with Marius made all of Eponine's troubles seem so far away, even if most of the time he didn't notice her, it made her happy, he was her happy place and that was all that mattered to her.

She remembered the first time she had seen Marius, she and her family had just moved into the apartment building and there he was. He didn't fit in there; he looked so different from the rest of the apartments residents, as if he was from a different world entirely. She soon found out that this was right, he was from a rich family, but had been cut off, he'd traded it all in for a life of poverty, so that he could fight for the people down below. This made Eponine admire him all the more, he seemed to have a way about him that made him light up to her, just watching him made her happy and when he did acknowledge her she didn't fell like the worthless street rat she was anymore, she felt like she mattered and she would do anything for him.

The first time he had spoken to her, had been about one month after they had moved into the same apartment building as him, it was raining and Eponine was on her way home from her daily rounds clutching her takings closely to her trying to keep them from getting soaked by the sudden heavy downpour.

_Eponine scurried home head bent down to try and keep the pelting rain from stinging the welt on her face that she had received earlier that week from one of her fathers gang member when she refused to co-operate. It was getting dark and the streets were almost deserted, all but the occasional person walking quickly, trying to outrun the rain. She didn't see him when she rounded the corner, walked straight into him and fell flat on her face. She got up onto her hands and knees and began franticly gathering the things she had been carrying, trying to save her daily takings from the rain. He bent down and started to help her collect the sodden wallets and trinkets, 'here' he said as he handed her a necklace, 'I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there what with the rain and all' he smiled then and looked into her eyes as she raised her head recognising his voice at once. _

_'hey don't I know you?' Eponine shook her head 'no Monsieur'_

_'I do! You and your family live in the same apartment building as me, Gorbeau House' this made Eponine smile, the fact that he recognised her made her feel like she existed _

_'let's get you home and out of the rain' he said as he helped her up and escorted her back home_

_Eponine was grateful that he did not mention her haul, it was obvious what it was, but he knew that times were hard and people had to make a living the best they could, any way they could. It was what he was fighting for after all and him not questioning why she had multiple wallets and trinkets only made her admire him more. _


	2. Chapter 2

Eponine found Azelma standing on a street corner, her shawl wrapped tightly around her, the thin material not helping with the cold chill in the air. Eponine walked over to her sister, 'you got enough to go home?' Eponine asked her, Azelma gave a small nod. The two girls turned and started to walk quickly down the darkening street, shoulders hunched and arms wrapped around their small chests trying to no avail to keep the heat in their bodies. They made their way down the street without talking, neither of them had anything to talk about. Azelma slowed as they reached a corner, looking to her right where she could just make out a small figure, Eponine had not noticed this and kept going. 'Ponine!' Azelma said in a hushed shout as she headed over to the figure, Eponine turned then, hearing hers sisters shout and realizing that she was not next to her.

Eponine span on her heels and heading back the way she had just walked and over to where her sister was currently crouched, she saw him then, a small hunched figure with dirty blonde hair and old worn clothes. It was Gavroche, their younger brother, Eponine hadn't seen him in a few days, but she wasn't too worried. He could look after himself and had been for a while, with Eponine and Azelma helping him from time to time as best they could. Eponine crouched next to her sister, as Azelma gave him half of the money from a wallet she had acquired that day. Eponine took out a wallet she had got that day, the one that had the most in and proceeded to do the same as her sister.

'Thank you, you don't have to do this, I'm fine looking after myself' Gavroche said, but he took the money anyway with a small smile.

'Of course you can' Eponine assured him, returning his smile with a rare smile of her own and patting his small bony shoulder.

'Where have you been?' Azelma asked the boy, squeezing his arm affectionately.

Gavroche shrugged his shoulders, 'Just out and about'

Azelma pursed her lips but pushed the matter no more.

Unlike Eponine, Azelma worried about Gavroche if they didn't see or hear from him for a few days, but Eponine knew that he would be okay and that wherever he was at least he was away from their parents, living freely.

The day Gavroche had left, Azelma had worried all day, Eponine who knew of his intentions to not come back had encouraged him, telling him that she would look out for him and that he would be better off on the streets. He had left that morning as normal with Eponine and Azelma, but did not come back that evening and it had been two days until Azelma tracked him down and confronted him about where he had been. She had not liked it at first, but like Eponine she come to understand that this was probably the better option for him, even then she didn't much like the idea of him fending for himself and had insisted that they meet so that she could help him. Eponine had agreed with this and although Gavroche was always reluctant to take what little his sisters had, he always accepted their help sheepishly.

Their parents hadn't even noticed at first, it took them three whole days to even bother asking where he was and even then they didn't care, he was not much use to them anyway and he was just another mouth to try to feed, not that they cared much about this, but he would still be there and they would have to acknowledge his existence sometimes.

The two girls stood from where they had been crouching and with a final nod and smile of thanks Gavroche was gone and that was the end of their exchange with their brother, most of their meetings went like this, with little conversation being held, just doing what was needed to be done and they were on their way. There was no time to lurk on these streets and they didn't have much to talk about anyway, so as soon as Gavroche had left, the two girls had turned and started quickly back down the street that they had been headed up before.


End file.
